It’s been 29 years since Disneyland Paris opened in France.

But Disney is obviously even more present in our daily lives and always has been!

Who doesn’t have a memory linked to Disney?
Who has never seen a Disney cartoon or production?
Who hasn’t had a Disney product in their hands at some point?
Who on the planet does not know the existence of Disney?

From Donald to Olaf, through Spiderman, Darth Vader, Olivia Pope from Scandal: the characters and their stories are everywhere! The Disney empire is phenomenal!

Starting with drawing of a mouse, Walt Disney created the biggest entertainment company in history!

He knew how to tell stories and how to bring them to life in the present and the future!

Here are 5 quotes from Walt Disney that can inspire us every day to create entertainment!

1/ “ There are many good stories. But the best ones, are the real ones. ”

Have you ever invented a story on the radio? On a Morning when you didn’t know what to say, or when you were less inspired than the other days? We’ve all done it. And I’m pretty sure we’ve all realized the result: it lacked flavor, authenticity, realness… It’s like making up your life while having a drink with friends… It’s so boring !

Are you going to tell me that your life is not interesting, not crazy enough to make it exciting for millions of listeners? It’s up to you to make it exciting!

Your life is just as interesting as anyone else’s. But you have to learn how to put it onstage!

A story, no matter how true it is, must be told: by living it, by exaggerating it sometimes, by integrating your listener into it and by having the right punch line at the right time!

Your story, true and well told, will be the most powerful thing you can do during a talk!

2/ “ Without personality, a character may do interesting things, but its actions seems unreal.  And without personality, a story cannot ring true to the audience. ”

Again, it’s about your audience identifying with you. To do that, you have to be real with them. No more smooth, insipid, bland hosts.

We want people who are just like in our lives: people with convictions, values, weaknesses, moments when we don’t agree with them and who talk to us about things that concern us!

All this will allow your listener to become attached to you, to feel your sincerity and to really appreciate you. This will inevitably create a loyalty for your show.

As a manager, there’s no point in hiring a host who is the complete opposite of what your target audience likes. But on the other hand, someone who’s always agrees with you, should alert you to the fact that he or she may lack character on the air! It’s certainly easier to manage, but it doesn’t guarantee a great show or big ratings…

So choose someone who is in your target, who understands it and who has convictions!

3/ “ Whatever you do, do it so well that when people see you do it, they will want to bring others and show them how well you do it. ”

This quote from Walt Disney could be applied to so many sectors: business, customer service, restaurants, marketing, sports… Anything that has to do with the public!

We’ve all recommended a restaurant, a business, a show or even a doctor to someone. Why? Because we found the right team or person and we want the best for our loved ones.

I have a wine shop next to my house, its owner advises me every time on his products with passion and I am never disappointed!  As a result: I have recommended his store to every neighbor I know and I have brought most of my friends there.

On the radio, it’s the same. Your team (not just the host) has to be totally committed to what they are doing. If you and your team come in just to do the job, you won’t get far! And on the opposite, if you deeply love what you do, if you are committed, conscientious about the details and form a cohesive whole, then you will win over even more listeners!

4/ “ For every laugh, there should be a tear. ”

In my life, I know how to make the difference between buddies and friends.

I have a lot of buddies. With them, I have fun, I enjoy drinks and we tell each other about the fun parts of our daily lives.

I have far fewer friends. Our relationship is more intimate. I do the same thing as I do with my buddies, but I also share with them the difficult moments of my life and the moments that are important to me. When I need support, I go to my friends first, because they know me perfectly.

On the radio, it’s the same. On a good show, you are a nice host, with whom people share nice moments…

In a great show, you manage to transmit emotion. And emotion is what touches your listener the most and makes him or her, once again, even more loyal!

Do you find it difficult to open up and share these emotions? You’re right! Surrounding yourself with people who trust and believe in you will help you so much.

Imagine a Disney cartoon without emotion: it wouldn’t have the cult status. Sharing this emotion is essential for your own good and that of the show.

5/ “ To succeed: work hard, never give up and above all cherish a magnificent obsession. ”

When you go to a Disney park, you understand how important the visitor experience is. For example, you are much more immersed in the story of the attractions than in any other theme park: from the moment you get in line, you are put in the mood. Sébastien Durand, communications consultant and pop-culture specialist, explains that “the success of a park lies in the willing suspension of disbelief”: in other words, in the obsession to satisfy the guest.

On the radio, it’s exactly the same thing! I have written it before and I repeat it often: your obsession must be for your listener. It is for him and because of him that you are here! Identify your target, master it perfectly and do everything you can to please it! It takes more time than making a product that appeals to everyone, but it will bring you so much more! Your listener is never wrong and is bound to realize it.

I am a true Walt Disney fan! His work and what he created are some of the things that inspire me the most everyday.

He always put forward 3 fundamental things: the guest, the storytelling and the technological progress.

It’s up to us to do the same in radio to continue to make our media evolve!

Let’s put our listeners at the center of everything we do, telling the most relevant stories and constantly challenging ourselves to reach them even better!

If you want to talk about this or anything else related to entertainment, please contact me! I’ll be happy to talk with you!